Musings on Rudd

So yeah, when Typhoon Tony said that the 44th Parliament would be different I pretty much figured it was just another slogan but oh, nope, no, think again! I knew there would be no leadership spill, or attempted leadership spill every five minutes, nor would it be impossible to get through a Question Time without suspending standing orders at least twice, but never did my imagination concoct something like this. 

As everybody was turning their radio onto the jazz station, cooking tea and generally winding down for the evening a certain individual was psyching himself up for the last hoorah. The immediate former Prime Minister Kevin "KRudd" Rudd retired, plucking himself from the squabble that is the daily grind of federal politics - and more so, federal politics in opposition. As I wrote earlier, many I am sure one can only feel relief that really the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd era of politics is over. The extraordinary legacy they leave behind include the introduction of the NDIS, the NBN, the building revolution in schools, the navigation of the Global Financial Crisis and the list could continue. The pair may have done great things but at the end of the day all good things must come to an end, and the self destructive nature of federal politics caught up with the both of them. Changes to the way in which ALP leaders are elected may help history from repeating itself but time will only tell. The mourningful way in which members from all sides of politics remembered one of the most popular PM I found quite astounding, I know they all have media and public personas, distorting their one true selfs but seriously, if this man was as loved as everyone made him out to be, then why the hell was he deposed in the first place?? Huh?? I know you are not supposed to speak ill of the dead (or in this case the recently retired) but guys c'mon i know 'shit happens' - quoting our newest Prime Minister but still! 

After the fact people remember the good, the better and the best times and maybe that is all we should look at, but this is politics and the one thing I am constantly reminded is that it is a bleak and murky area. Despite the fact Praise the Ruddinator will be on every Facebook page tomorrow and the fact Kevin07 will get another 5 minutes in the spotlight, and maybe he will even take another leaf out of our former former PM Julia Gillard and after taking some time out have a 'conversation with the male equivalent of Anne Summers' one thing is certain; the 44th Parliament will not be like the last. That is unless Rudd gets to Liberal climate believer Malcolm and injects some libspill virus creating an even more hectic parliament to come. 

Looking back over Rudds reign it is apparent he could muster up momentum like the best of them, conjure a fighting army of T-shirt wearing supporters like no other and rally the troops for war. What is also quite apparent is that another generation of young people may turn off, tune out and give up on (most) our decrepit old pollies that line the walls  of the new parliament. My friends can call bull8$it like it is an Olympic sport and honestly I don't think they would give five minutes to wonder about the lack of transparency that is about to become commonplace in the Government. While Rudd leaving perhaps finally cleans the ALP slate to start fresh, it exposes the party and in order to capture the young vote in time for the next election it will take something special, and only time will tell how uninterested young people will become.    

Let the Circus Begin!

Ahhhhh, so after a day of pomp and circumstance opening the 44th Federal Parliament yesterday, our Politician's used today to get down to business... kind of... Or shall we just say they used today to get the show on the road!?! Anyway some say today marks the beginning of the end for transparency in Government and others are still so happy the ALP aren't in control they are going to make the most of it!

We the people were promised a new level of competence, a new level of decorum and a new level of governing under a Liberal Government but if this morning is anything to go on, that may be harder for Tony and his Government to achieve. The Treasurer said to the Opposition, after a particularly curly question in Question Time today "I know you're excited; its the first day. This will be your best day in Opposition, trust me" and speaking from experience he would be the one to know. But then again today proved Government may not be so fun for a while, at least until the new Senate arrives. Yes the Liberals have a majority in the Lower House, a feat not achieved since the 2007 election but the new Opposition has had 3 long years of hellish debates and will not go down without a fight; learning standing orders must seem so small in comparison to needing to compromise on every piece of legislation. 

Some people say that it took 76 minutes, others say it was as low as 74 and some say as high as 79 minutes, but one thing is certain Typhoon Tony as Green's deputy Leaders affectionately calls our PM, introduced into the House of Representatives legislation to repeal the Carbon Tax. Our Prime Minister's mantra of CARBON TAX CARBON TAX!!! BOATS BOATS BOATS! DEBT DEBT DEBT!! JOBS JOBS JOBS!! ALP SUCKED ALP SUCKED!! is back. And people, get excited because that is what you will be hearing everywhere. On the television, on the radio and in papers, not how many boats have arrived, not the increase in temperature due to the climate change but how less boats have arrived (no specific number of course) and how much more money people will have after July 1 2014. 

Watching parliament today though was interesting. People sitting in different places, a new batch of pollies lining up to ask dorothy dixers of the Government, a new Speaker wearing in her chair and all my favourite tweeters back tweeting.  We saw Barnaby Joyce get in the good books of the new Speaker, giving her a loving 'fangirl' moment "You are the best speaker that I have ever experienced. In fact you are without comparison." What more, It is probably true as he has just moved to the House of Representatives from the Senate, where they call the Speaker-Equivalent the President. Outside Parliament, Senior Ministers on both sides were back to their name calling, bickering selfs and both major party leaders have new beautiful nicknames; Electricity Bill as our Opposition Leader is now commonly known as and our Prime Minister Typhoon Tony (not sure that will stick though). The good news of the day, was our most controversial MP Clive Palmer, was in fine form declaring he would abstain from the vote on the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 as well as turing up for the first Question Time. Not sure for how long that will last, but doing something once is the first step for doing it a second time! 

As as the day is slowly coming to an end, and newbie pollies are thanking their lucky stars they got through day one, the only thing getting me through tonight is the thought that we are all going to do this again tomorrow! Until then Folks... 

BREAKING NEWS!!! So I thought that we has seen the last of major federal politics for this evening, but alas KEVIN RUDD is now retiring as of the end of the week. Out of left field, after (or during if you live in South Australia) Prime Minister Abbott was on the 7-30 Report Rudd calmly walked into the green chamber and rose in his seat using words like "I believe in the politics of hope not fear" and uttering the phrase many looking into the fishbowl think but do not say "be gentle with each other". As a tear rolls down the eye of the former Prime Minister one can only feel relief that really the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd era of politics is over. The legacy they leave behind include the introduction of the NDIS, the NBN, the building revolution in schools and the list could continue. The pair may have done great things but at the end of the day all good things must come to an end, and the self destructive nature of federal politics caught up with the both of them. Tony can rest easier tonight, and GIllard will be having another glass of wine thanking her lucky stars she got out in time as the People Prime Minister has left the building!